Whether you’re already working in the nursing field or have plans to get into nursing, one important component of being a good nurse is having your patients’ needs and well-being at the center of every decision you make. During your time in nursing school, you’ll learn more about the different considerations that go into care planning for your patients, including nursing implications.
With a better understanding of what nursing implications are and why they matter, you can not only respond appropriately to your patients’ needs, but possibly even anticipate them.
Nursing Implications Definition and Purpose
What are nursing implications, anyway? Understanding the nursing implications definition is crucial because it ensures that patient care aligns with evidence-based practices. According to an IntelyCare article, “nursing implications are defined as the practical applications of nursing knowledge and skills to patient care to ensure optimal outcomes.”
In other words, nursing implications refer to what could happen as a result of a nurse’s actions (or inaction). Implications could be beneficial or detrimental to the patient, and are a critical consideration for any nurse planning and delivering patient-centered care. Nurses rely on implications to make informed decisions that align care with evidence-based practices within the industry.
Key Components of Nursing Implications
There are three key components that form the foundation of nursing implications. All of these three elements integrate to provide holistic patient care:
- Physical – This refers to a patient’s specific diagnosis, current symptoms, limitations, and specific pain management needs while in a nurse’s care.
- Emotional – This refers to a patient’s levels of stress or anxiety, as well as such factors as self-esteem and coping mechanisms as they relate to their diagnosis.
- Social – This refers to a patient’s cultural background, socioeconomic status, support system, and other social dynamics.
Ideally, nurses should take a holistic approach when assessing nursing implications that take all three components into consideration.
Physical Well-Being and Nursing Implications
A patient’s physical condition is critical for nurses to consider when it comes to nursing implications. Specifically, this refers to such factors as a patient’s vital signs, level of mobility, and the level of pain they are experiencing.
Assessing and Addressing Physical Needs
When taking physical well-being into consideration, nurses must begin with a thorough physical assessment of the patient that includes:
- Checking their vital signs
- Taking their temperature
- Assessing for abnormalities
- Asking them to rank their pain on a scale of zero to 10
From there, nurses can make better-informed decisions alongside other care teams regarding which interventions to take. For example, a patient experiencing pain following a surgical procedure may require administration of pain medication to mitigate discomfort. Meanwhile, a patient with a chronic condition, such as heart disease, may require additional cardiovascular monitoring.
Preventing Physical Complications
Nurses are also responsible for using implications to guide preventive actions that may be needed to protect patients from accidents and injuries in their care, such as falls, infections, or even reactions to medications.
Fortunately, there are many evidence-based practices that nurses can follow to prevent these kinds of complications. For example, nurses can follow fall-prevention protocols (such as ensuring patients are wearing proper footwear) and carefully review a patient’s medication list to pinpoint drug interactions before they occur.
Emotional Well-Being in Nursing Implications
Although physical implications may be the most obvious to nursing professionals, assessing emotional implications is just as important. Specifically, nurses need to consider the emotional state of their patients at all times, especially when it comes to addressing issues like anxiety, depression, and stress.
Supporting Mental Health Needs
It is not uncommon for patients to suffer from mental health conditions, and to provide the best possible care, nurses need to be aware of these issues and implement strategies to support patients’ mental health at all times. For example, nurses may rely on therapeutic communication to help patients cope while reducing stress. Meanwhile, nurses may also provide referrals to counseling services, therapists, and other resources to support patient mental health as part of their care plans.
Building Trust and Emotional Support
Nurses often have more face-to-face interaction with patients than any other healthcare professional. With this in mind, nurses must understand that they can be a critical source of emotional support and guidance for patients who may be struggling emotionally. Nurses can rely on strategies like active listening to make sure patients feel heard and seen. Likewise, nurses should encourage patients to participate in their own care decisions as a means of taking control of their own health and wellness.
Social Well-Being and Nursing Implications
Last but not least, nurses need to take social implications into consideration when assessing how outside factors could impact a patient’s health. This is especially important when assessing potential barriers to healthcare, such as a lack of health insurance, poverty, and socioeconomic status. In taking social well-being into consideration when making choices, nurses can provide the holistic care that patients deserve.
Considering Social Determinants of Health
There are many social factors that can either directly or indirectly impact a patient’s health, including:
- Socioeconomic status - Patients with a lower socioeconomic status may have less access to healthcare.
- Family support (or lack thereof) - Patients without a lot of family support may also have a hard time receiving the care they need, or even properly caring for themselves.
- Access to care - A patient’s access to healthcare can also be affected by their geographic location, income, and health insurance coverage.
Coordinating Care and Community Resources
Properly trained nurses can use social implications to connect patients with social support services as needed, such as community resources or support groups. An attentive nurse, for example, may provide housing assistance referrals to a patient discharged from the hospital without a place to go. Likewise, patients facing food insecurity may receive help from nurses when it comes to qualifying for food assistance programs. These seemingly small gestures can have a huge impact on a patient’s health and well-being.
Using Nursing Implications to Anticipate Patient Needs
In addition to using nursing implications to coordinate patient care, experienced nurses may also be able to use them as a means of anticipating patient needs and adjusting care plans as needed. For instance, nurses may collaborate with other healthcare providers to identify high-risk patients and adjust care plans ahead of time.
Proactive Patient Monitoring
Nursing implications can help nurses monitor trends and predict potential issues, such as deteriorating vital signs. When nurses provide ongoing and precise patient monitoring, they may be able to spot signs of deterioration sooner rather than later. This makes it possible to make timely interventions before serious issues arise.
Enhancing Patient Safety
Nursing implications can also be used to help prevent adverse health events for patients, ranging from medication errors to falls. Oftentimes, nurses use tools like safety checklists to ensure that patients are not put in harm’s way. Meanwhile, patient education can also go a long way in improving patient safety while proactively avoiding accidents.
Examples of Nursing Implications in Practice
For nurses (and aspiring nurses) still new to the concept of nursing implications, it can be helpful to consider some examples of them in action, especially as they relate to chronic and acute care.
Managing Chronic Illness
When nurses are caring for patients who suffer from a chronic illness, they must carefully incorporate patient education, medication management, and lifestyle modifications into their care plans.
Acute Care Scenarios
In acute care settings, on the other hand, nurses need to be prepared to consider implications in a high-stress environment where changes can occur quickly and without warning. This is especially true in such settings as post-surgical recovery and emergency care, where patients may already be in a compromised physical state.
The Role of Nursing Implications in Preventing Complications
When carefully considered, nursing implications can empower nurses to identify such risks as infections and pressure ulcers early. As a result, they may be able to prevent these complications altogether.
Risk Assessment and Intervention
For instance, nurses well-versed in implications may be able to identify immunocompromised patients who may be at an inherently increased risk of infection following surgery. From there, they can work alongside care team members to take proactive measures to mitigate infection risk.
Continuity of Care
Nurses also rely on implications to promote seamless transitions between care settings, such as from the hospital to home care. By sending patients home with the proper education and resources, nurses can set their patients up for a smooth recovery and reduce chances of readmission.
Learn More in an RN to BSN Program
By understanding what are nursing implications, nurses can deliver care that is not only effective but also anticipates patient needs. Nurses must constantly weigh the potential consequences of every action they take when caring for patients. With a strong understanding of nursing implications and how to account for them in your own work, you can keep your patients safe while supporting their physical and emotional well-being.
Nursing implications are just one of many topics covered in a nursing degree program. If you’re ready to pursue your BSN, Nevada State University is here to help. Specifically, our RN to BSN online program is designed for busy professionals already working as licensed RNs and ready to take their education to the next level.
Plus, because this program is offered entirely online, it’s an ideal choice for those who need some additional flexibility in their schedule. Get in touch today to learn more , or take the next step by completing your online application for admission!